Haworths set to give Lancashire business a Boost

Accrington-based Haworths Chartered Accountants is to help Lancashire’s business community drive growth and innovation after becoming a Boost & Co member.

Boost & Co is a business support network established to help Lancashire-based companies access a range of funded programmes and growth opportunities offered by Boost Business Lancashire, the £7.2 million Lancashire Business Growth Hub.

Director of Haworths Mark Schofield says: “As a leading chartered accountancy practice in Lancashire, we work with lots of companies that could benefit from the Boost Business Lancashire initiative. By becoming a Boost & Co memberwe are more able to signpost companies in the region to funding initiatives whether that is regional business assistance, grant funding or business angel funding. We are also able to point local companies in the direction of the appropriate business support and advice initiatives and contribute towardsgrowth, both for the individual companies concerned and for the region’s economy as a whole.”

Boost is led by the Lancashire LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership) in conjunction with Lancashire County Council Community & Business Partners, UCLan, Lancaster University, Regenerate Pennine Lancashire and Winning Pitch, with £3.6 million of funding provided by the European Regional Development Fund (EDRF).

The initiative aims to grow the Lancashire economy by £20 million by 2015, creating 1,200 new jobs and safeguarding a further 700. Mark Schofield continues: “Lancashire has a thriving SME community with enormous potential to generate economic growth and secure the future prosperity of the region. By acting together with a cohesive, strategic and supportive approach, Lancashire’s professional services experts can harness that growth and Haworths willleverage the company’s extensive experience of helping businesses grow as part of Boost Business Lancashire.”

Andrew Leeming, senior projects officer for Lancashire County Council, adds: “We passionately believe that the wider business supportcommunity provides an invaluable service to growingbusinesses within Lancashire. “By being part of Boost & Co, Haworths can help its clients and members access and benefit from Boost’s funded business support programmes.”